Moving from Akron to Cleveland
Your paycheck buys about the same in Cleveland as in Akron. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Cleveland: $70,500
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $70,500 in Cleveland, OH to match $70,000 in Akron, OH ($500 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Ohio, so state income tax is the same; includes Akron resident tax $1,750 and Cleveland resident tax $1,750 (inside city limits).
Akron vs Cleveland: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,059 → $1,087/mo
- Median home value
- $237,300 → $234,700
- Median household income
- $71,364 → $72,532
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 93.4 → 93.9
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (85.1 → 88.5 of 100)
Akron vs Cleveland cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Akron, OH | Cleveland, OH |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 93.4 | 93.9 |
| Median rent | $1,059 | $1,087 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $42,360 | $43,480 |
| Median home value | $237,300 | $234,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,630 | $1,639 |
| Income needed to buy | $69,842 | $70,245 |
| Median property tax | $3,278 | $3,556 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $1,150 | $1,150 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $1,750 | $1,750 |
| Metro population | 702,209 | 2,171,877 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
- Akron, OH: Akron residents pay a 2.5% municipal income tax. Ohio city taxes are charged where you work as well as where you live, so anyone who works in Akron pays 2.5% on those wages. Most suburban cities charge their own 2%–2.5% tax (2% is typical); people in unincorporated townships pay only the tax where they work. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
- Cleveland, OH: Cleveland residents pay a 2.5% municipal income tax; tax paid to another Ohio city where you work is credited. Ohio city taxes are charged where you work as well as where you live, so anyone who works in Cleveland pays 2.5% on those wages. Most suburban cities charge their own 1.5%–2.5% tax (2% is typical); people in unincorporated townships pay only the tax where they work. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: Akron vs Cleveland
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $38,397 a year in Akron and $38,733 in Cleveland if you rent: $336 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $45,245 and $45,357 ($112 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | AkronBefore | ClevelandAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $14,825 | $14,825 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,622 | $1,622 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $947 | $947 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,139 | $2,139 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,156 | $6,156 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $12,708 | $13,044 | +$336 |
| Total if you rent | $38,397 | $38,733 | +$336 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $15,080 | $14,914 | -$166 |
| Property tax median home | $3,278 | $3,556 | +$278 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,198 | $1,198 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $45,245 | $45,357 | +$112 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,780 a year in Akron and $13,780 in Cleveland (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Akron to Cleveland
About 4,170 households (6,076 people) moved from the Akron metro area to the Cleveland metro area in 2022–2023, making Cleveland the #1 destination for people leaving Akron among the 149 metro areas we cover. 4,839 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $69,568.
Cost to move from Akron to Cleveland
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 30 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Akron vs Cleveland
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Akron area among the highest (score 85.1) and the Cleveland area among the highest (score 88.5), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $187 vs $213 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Cleveland cheaper than Akron?
Overall prices in the Cleveland area are 0.5% higher than in Akron (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,087 vs $1,059 a month, and the median home is $234,700 vs $237,300.
What salary do I need in Cleveland to match $100,000 in Akron?
About $100,600, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Ohio, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Akron to Cleveland?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 30 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Akron to Cleveland?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 4,170 households (6,076 people) moved from the Akron metro area to the Cleveland metro area, and 4,839 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Akron move
- Columbus 802 households
- Cincinnati 130 households
- Chicago 124 households
- Pittsburgh 123 households
- Tampa 116 households
- Phoenix 99 households
- Los Angeles 96 households
- Miami 85 households